PREDA NEWSLETTER JULY 2013

August 14, 2013 ·

“BE THE CHANGE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE IN THIS WORLD.” – Mahatma Gandhi . With World Youth Day approaching, we are reminded that our society needs not only ACTIVE LEADERS but PRO- ACTIVE leaders who are willing to make change and be the change, that’s why the new set of officers of AKBAY Children and Youth Organization in coordination with PEPS Department had A Leadership and Facilitator’s training for 25 members of the organization last July 6 to 7, 2013.

It achieved full participation of the youth and built up their self-esteem and confidence to be youth leaders and gave them a sense of empowerment. Danilo Rogayan Jr., one of the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines Awardees and a member of AKBAY was invited to talk about leadership.

He discussed with the participants about the leaders who changed the world. He challenged the young leaders to strive for success despite being poor. He shared his own experiences overcoming hardship and how he became a leader. He encouraged and inspired the participants with his knowledge, attitude and skills as a leader.

The activity also aims to creat an effective plan of action for the organization. Mr. Emmanuel Drewery, PREDA Corporate Secretary and former chairperson of AKBAY was invited as speaker and gave an input on the process of formulating plan of action for the organization. He emphasized, that AKBAY youth organization serves as an effective youth arm in Olongapo, Zambales and Bataan and must have a clear plan of action and know how to implement them effectively and efficiently.

Tree Planting Activities

PREDA works to preserve and protect the environment, to save the world from poisoning itself and harming thousands of people across continents and planting trees is a major commitment.

Planting trees prevent floods and landslides, soaks up. CO2 gas provides oxygen for all life, fertilizes the land, keeps the planet cool, provides food and protein to all living creatures and the leaves washed into the sea feeds the plankton that feeds the fish that feeds people.

To reforest the denuded mountains of Zambales and to help the Indigenous Peoples’ Communities uplift their living, the program conducted series of tree planting activities in different partner Aeta Communities which was jointly participated by PREDA Staffers, AKBAY Members, Girls, and Boys, Volunteers and Village People in the month of July 2013.

Last 8 July, three more boys; Mark, Edwin, Rosendo, rescued a year ago from the inhuman condition in jails after the life experience and human development training at the Preda Boys home; Bukang Liwayway, New dawn center, they stayed of their own choice as do 73% of the boys.

They have rebuilt their lives and got basic education and skills training. They had family reconciliation and will continue to be monitored and contacted by Preda for additional follow up services. They will stay in contact through facebook. They had computer lessons at Preda.

WALK FOR UNITY by PREDA and NGO’S in Olongapo City

“Together Everyone Achieves More!”

A Unity Walk on July 10, 2013 in Olongapo City organized by Civil Society Involvement (CSI) was a big success with as many as 2000 people from non-government organizations, religious groups, civil society and students all over the city. Preda programme director Alex Hermoso led the Preda delegation himself. Motivated to unite the people of different political parties in Olongapo after the recent election wherein the old family dynasty was defeated and a popular local executive, Mayor Paulino was elected. The Walk of Solidarity was to welcome the change and work together towards a meaningful change the Civil Society called “Salubong sa Pagkakaisa 2013”

The march of the people converged on the Rizal Triangle where City Officials were holding an open air meeting of the city council ,the marchers called on them to serve the city faithfully to the reelection promises.

ULAT BULILIT 2013

(Children’s Health: A chronic illness with unhealthy prescription)

In the time of National Nutrition Month (July), it is important to highlight the current nutritional and health situation of the Filipino Children. The issue of health and nutrition encompasses the survival and development rights of children as written in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Children (UNCRC). The 1st series of Ulat Bulilit focuses on the issues of health and nutrition and how the Philippine Government as the primary duty bearer addresses them.

On July 17, 2013 the 1st series of Ulat Bulilit was held at Balay Kalinaw of the University of the Philippines where staunch advocates and consistent defenders of human rights particularly children’s rights gathered together in the said seminar/forum. To name a few Vincent Rhay Villeza (PREDA’s Public Educator), Kyle Liven Dave Andrino (AKBAY Active Member), Cong. Luzviminda Illagan (Representative of Gabriela Women’s Party) and Dr. Puraflor Isleta (former head of ICU-PGH) attended the seminar/forum. Anchored with the theme “Children’s Health; A chronic illness with unhealthy prescription” the seminar/forum aims to; present and discuss updates on children’s health situation, provide platform for sharing information regarding the topic and different efforts to respond and advance the promotion of the rights of the Filipino children to health.

AWARDING OF REGISTRATION CERTIFICATE AND LICENSE TO OPERATE TO PREDA – HOMES FOR GIRLS and BOYS – JULY 17, 2013

The certificate of Registration and License to Operate of PREDA’S Childhood for Children – Homes For Girls and Boys awarded by Regional Director, Adelina Apostol at DSWD Regional Office. PREDA’S Information Officer, Vincent Rhay Villeza received the certificate at a simple ceremony in the DSWD regional office Pampanga.

This signifies that the foundation’s Childhood for Children Homes for Girls and Boys passed the standards of DSWD and satisfactorily complied with the requirements to operate as a social welfare development agency implementing Residential and Community – Based Program Implementation, in accordance with Section 23, Republic Act 4373 “An Act to Regulate the practice o0f Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for other Purposes”. The license is valid until May 31, 2015.

FAIR TRADE ANNIVERSARY IN GERMANY

The German fair Trade partner DWP held its 25th anniversary celebration in Ravensburg last July 06, 2013. Father Shay Cullen founder and president of Preda was the guest speaker and presented the Fair trade and social development services and projects of Preda foundation. DWP and Preda are long time trading partners.

The celebration was a big event and senior political figures attended with over a thousand visitors from all over Germany and abroad coming. The introduction speech by Mr. Thomas Hoyer, the DWP general manager highlights the progress so and growth DWP in recent years.

After the anniversary Father Shay visited several towns’ fair trade groups to give a presentation and slide show on the work of Preda Fair Trade. He also visited the Diocese of Limburg and renewed the partnership with them for training the community leaders of Alaminos diocese in child protection.

ORGANIC TRAINING IN JAPAN

Last July 22, Shawn Dave Brooks, a Preda Staffer and the organic farm manager was invited to visit Japan for 3 weeks of specialized training in organic farm management supported by the Japanese International cooperation Agency (JICA). Preda is promoting organic farming techniques and processes for Filipino farmers. It is working to get the mangos of the Indigenous people certified organic since they grow wild in the mountain far away from any chemicals fertilizers or pesticides.

PREDA-GERMANY FOUNDED

Last July 14 2013 in Bonn the formal meeting of 7 members of the newly founded and registered Preda Germany known as Preda Freundeskreis e.V was held. This is to establish a formal presence of Preda in Germany to coordinate with our partners in awareness building activities and fund raising for the support of the children’s projects in the Philippines. Father Shay attended and volunteers at Preda now returned to Germany. Laina Orbon,Sarah Olterman, Luca Bücken, Tobias Grummel, Lino Canete and Simon Mertens.

SITUATION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Last July 9 in Stuttgart, Germany Fr.Shay was a guest speaker on a Panel of experts examining in public discussion the growing problem of human trafficking in Germany due to the unforeseen consequences of a 2002 law legalizing prostitution in Germany. This opened the door to rampant human trafficking of vulnerable girls from Eastern Europe and it gave the traffickers a shied for doing illegal business. Fr.Shay presented the possible solution to stop the abuse of the law where thousands of young girls are brought into German and enslaved in huge bordellos in Stuttgart, Frankfurt and elsewhere and are in the control of the pimps and managers. Good the law removes the stigma of criminality form women in prostitution but many are not freely in it. He suggested taking the best parts of the Swedish law that hold the customer liable for breaking the law and considering the woman to be a victims of poverty,circumstance,pimps,durg addiction and other reasons. More on